Discard and Descent
by Anti-Zombie
Summary: The one thing holding him up has disappeared from beneath him. Will anyone be there to catch Hidan when he falls?


The one thing holding him up has disappeared from beneath him.

Will anyone be there to catch Hidan when he falls?

Warning for language (both mine and Hidan's), gore, angst, Itachi's cold heart, Zetsu's appetite, Deidara's bed-head, and God knows what else. This IS the Akatsuki we're talking (writing/reading) about here!

[I do not own Naruto nor do I claim to. Thanks for reminding me.]

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He had to get out. He had to get away. It was around eight at night in the Akatsuki's base and the usual time for Kisame's infamous two hour bath and Hidan's nightly rituals. No one expected to see the pink eyed Jashinist enter the makeshift living room the group shared when he was normally busy torturing a sacrifice or himself. Tobi looked up in shock from where he was laid out on the floor, coloring books and crayons spread out around him, when Hidan stepped OVER him instead of stepping ON him. His eyes were locked on the ground and the look of panic on his face made even Kakuzu cast him a questioning look.

"I-I'm going out." The half-albino muttered quietly towards them before tossing his Akatsuki cloak on and rushing out of the cave that served as their home and base. Itachi snorted from where he was sitting in an armchair away from the rest of the group, but made no attempt to speak. Deidara gulped, "Something's up… there isn't a footprint on Tobi's back and I didn't hear his crazy I'm-high-on-my-own-pain laughter." The blonde scowled at his own words and returned to the task of ridding himself of a dangerous case of bed-head, both out of fear of figuring out what was wrong and the fact he swore he felt something move in his bangs. Konan nodded gravely next to him, folding a piece of paper to create a small origami fox. "He wasn't wearing his pendant and he left his scythe." "Ever the observant? I'm jealous you seem to be paying so much attention," came a humored reply from the doorframe leading into the hallway. Pein smirked mischievously, "Kakuzu." There was a low growl of disapproval, but the masked man stood, "Why must I baby-sit the idiot?" Pein's two narrowed eyes were the only answers he needed. He sighed darkly into his mask before standing and following after the Jashinist. What Kakuzu found scared him slightly, though he'd never bother to admit it.

He'd found Hidan after walking around a forest for nearly two hours in the rain, slouched against the trunk of an ancient tree with his face turned towards the heavens. For a moment he couldn't tell if those streams of water on his face were rain or tears. As he approached Hidan turned his head slightly so he didn't have to strain his eyes to watch his partner come closer. With something close to a whine he dropped his head, pulling his arms around his knees and curling in on himself. Kakuzu stopped where he stood, mid-step, and stared down at the priest with wide eyes. "Hidan." His voice was as blank as ever, despite the dark feeling roiling in his stomach. A sense of dread crept into his skin as deeply as the biting cold from the rain. Hidan dug his face into the crook of his elbow before speaking, "Leave." Kakuzu snorted at how feeble the word was coming from the man's mouth, it sounded almost as fragile as Hidan looked. "Enough with the Pity Party, I'm not paying for the cake." His humor was dry, but it normally gave something for the priest to pick on him about and bring him back into a good mood. It was oddly unsettling when Hidan wasn't in his usual happy-go-kill-something mood.

After a long, silent moment Kakuzu growled and snatched Hidan off the ground by his arm. Hidan didn't bother holding himself up and slumped in his partner's grip. "What the hell is wrong with you?" "Hell is." The answer was as confusing as the behavior, but he wasn't one for riddles so Kakuzu simply turned and began to drag the priest back to the base under Pein's orders, but after struggling to make Hidan walk the third time he lost his patience. Kakuzu let his grip go and Hidan fell awkwardly to the side, landing on his rear and staying like that. "Explain." "It didn't work." The reply was sharp with pain and half-way through he could barely hear the answer. If he wasn't a ninja he'd say Hidan was simply breathing. "What didn't work?" In that moment something ached inside the priest and Hidan's head snapped up to stare at Kakuzu with fury, "What else?! The rituals damn it, none of them did! I tried so many and none of them fucking worked. NONE OF THEM, Kakuzu!" He screamed, this time it wasn't just rain on his face. The former Takigakure ninja scoffed, "What were you trying to do? Talk to your stupid god. Is that all?" Hidan let out something close to a snarl and tackled Kakuzu in a pounce, punching the brick wall of a chest to no avail. Kakuzu didn't even move at the blows, but he was slightly shocked at how quickly the anger and violence became yet another crippled puddle of Hidan. Kakuzu sighed and lifted the shivering, and now fainted, Hidan into his arms before turning and heading home.

When they arrived at the base Kakuzu was given some of the most startled looks he could have imagined. Kisame had only just gotten out of his bath (stupid fish) and was already yelling, "What the hell is that? Hidan or a drowned rat?" Tobi bounced up to Kakuzu excitedly, "IS HIDAN-SAMA SAD? I'LL SING A SONG AND MAKE HIM HAPPYYY!" The masked boy twirled on his tiptoes for a moment, humming loudly (and off key). Itachi took one glance, announced that was 'just to gay,' and left to his and Kisame's room. On the couch Deidara's jaw was nearly on the floor in shock at the sight of Kakuzu carrying a curled up and puffy-eyed Hidan. Kakuzu knocked Tobi out of his way and continued to their room and returned after placing Hidan on his bed. After removing his cloak and mask he turned towards the remainder of the group, preparing for the questions to come. "You find him like that or have you finally grown that cold-hearted, Old Man?" Deidara chided in one breath. Kakuzu shook his head, "Found him." "He say… why?" Kisame's eyes studied him curiously. "Yes. Seems his sham of a god gave up on him." They all looked towards the room the Zombie Brothers shared and then at each other. "What will Leader-sama say?" Tobi whined to Deidara as Kakuzu sighed, cursing the priest for the trouble this was causing.

"What will he do, kick him out? Kill him?" "Maybe we can finally eat him!" "That's not nice…" "But he would taste delicious with all that sacrificing he does. He already smells like a delicious rotting corpse with a side of road kill." "That's not nice either." "So you wouldn't eat him?" "… I never said THAT."

Everyone pretty much ignored Zetsu's sudden conversation with himself. They'd all gotten used to the two-faced flytrap. "You won't be eating him anytime soon Zetsu," Pein said with a chuckle as he entered the room with a thoughtful look on his face, "this may prove to be interesting. I wonder if his Jashin has indeed left him. Kakuzu you're in charge of the fool and Zetsu keep your roots to yourself." With a malicious chuckle their leader left them. Once again the threaded ninja cursed the priest mentally and Zetsu scowled before slipping away to brood over the loss of his snack. No one was in the mood to be social after the previous, disturbing scene and one by one they returned to their respective rooms. Konan placed a hand on Kakuzu's arm, drawing his attention. "He needs help Kakuzu and though neither of you say if… he's the closest thing you have to a friend." With that she and three paper swans, all fluttering in the air around her, disappeared down the hall to her room leaving Kakuzu with a slack face. He hated to admit it, but Hidan was a friend if he could even classify anyone as that since his village's betrayal. All five hearts seemed to ache as he left the living room to return to his and Hidan's room.

--

Okay I love the Zombie Brothers, but I'm not a huge fan of them having a sexual relationship so I'm still not sure what will become of the plot. Sorry for the half-assed plot *depressed sigh*

Please review and if you have any ideas feel free to share! Hope you enjoyed reading.

AZ: *punches Itachi* Jerk. Like you can talk, have you see the fanfics with you and Kisame?

Itachi: *glares before activating the swirly-eyes-of-doom*

AZ: *sprays a can of mace in his eyes* Nice try Weasel.


End file.
